The Olympic Winter Games in Torino-A Year Away

February 02, 2005

Two hundred and thirty U.S. athletes will represent the United States Olympic Team for competition in 84 medal events in seven sports and 15 disciplines. The first sport out of the gate is the ski jumping portion of Nordic Combined, anevent featuring ski jumping and cross country skiing. The event begins at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 at Pragelato Plan, in the Italian Alps west of Torino. The final event is the gold medal men’s Ice Hockey game Sunday, Feb. 26th at 2 p.m. local time at Palasport Olimpico.

In between those competitions, America’s best skaters, skiers, curlers and jumpers will be competing under the world’s biggest sport spotlight to continue the Winter excellence they exhibited four years ago in Salt Lake City. The U.S.Team won 34 medals in those Games, almost triple its best total in history. The home ice and snow and a funding program that targeted podium finishes in the Games helped the U.S. finish one medal behind Germany in the race as the topcountry at the Games.

Four years later, away from home surroundings, the U.S. Team will be coming off its best pre-Olympic season in recent history. But, never before has a U.S. Team won more than 13 medals in a road Games. In fact, most host countries drop at least 50% from a home Games to the next Games on the road.